A 37-year-old man has been charged with felony rape and kidnapping following an alleged sexual assault on a six-year-old girl in the bathroom of a Five Below store in South Lebanon, Ohio. The incident, which is reported to have occurred on 6 February, has raised serious concerns about safety and the protection of vulnerable individuals in public spaces.
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Robert DeWeese is accused of gaining access to the restroom by mimicking a specific knock taught to the young girl by her mother. The mother had instructed her daughter to listen for this distinctive knock while she stepped away to purchase replacement clothes after the child had an accident. Prosecutor David Fornshell provided insights into the situation, stating that the girl’s mother had explicitly communicated to her what to expect so that she would know when it was safe to open the door.
According to reports from local outlets WLWT and FOX 19, DeWeese is alleged to have overheard the mother’s instructions and subsequently used the special knock to enter the bathroom. Once inside, he is said to have assaulted the girl. It is reported that the child shouted for him to stop, which startled DeWeese and prompted him to flee the scene. At the time of the incident, the girl’s mother was approximately 30 to 40 feet away, leading her to quickly call 911 once her daughter relayed the information regarding the assault.
During the emergency call, the mother explained the situation to dispatchers, stating that her daughter had been in the bathroom when a man entered and inappropriately touched her, prompting the child to cry out for help. The call highlighted the distressing nature of the incident and the urgency of the situation.
Despite fleeing the Five Below store, DeWeese was later apprehended at a relative’s residence. Reports indicate that he had only been released from prison three days prior to the alleged attack. His background raises serious alarm, as he has a history of sex-related offences spanning multiple counties, having recently completed a three-year sentence related to a parole violation connected to child sexual crimes.
Fornshell asserted that DeWeese has a longstanding pattern of sexual offences, noting that the timing of his release was particularly concerning given the severity of the crime he is accused of committing. “The guy serially engages in sexual-oriented offenses and assaults,” he commented, underscoring the potential ongoing risk posed by DeWeese to the community.
In light of the charges against him, DeWeese has been indicted for first-degree felony rape, alongside additional felony counts of gross sexual imposition, kidnapping, and abduction. He is currently being held in Warren County Jail, with his bond set at a substantial $1 million, reflecting the seriousness of the alleged offences.
At this point, it remains unclear whether DeWeese has secured legal representation to respond to the charges leveled against him. The case has garnered significant media attention and public outcry, pushing advocates for child safety to call for measures that could prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
As investigations continue, the local community is left grappling with the implications of this distressing event, particularly regarding measures to ensure the safety of children in public settings. This situation serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and vigilance in protecting vulnerable individuals.
The legal proceedings ahead will undoubtedly be watched closely as the community seeks justice for the young victim and a thorough examination of the circumstances that allowed this incident to take place.